Parfit went out one cold dark night
Walking the Yorkshire woods all round
Thinking to find some game to eat
Along the frosted ground
He heard the pheasant in the trees
Innocent to the wild owl call
Come the keeper's stealthy tread
His mean heart wrapped in gall
The Duke of Norfolk's game keeper
Out to the woodland come
Protecting life, so it be killed
On a sporting day for fun
He give chase to John Parfit
All in the lonely copse that night
Struggling beneath the bare branched trees
In the foxes' silent sight
A shot was fired and, sad to tell,
Laid John Parfit on the ground
For a moment's rage and carelessness
Precious blood flowed down
In the light of dawn
Brown leaves on mossy ground
On a woodland place where death has come
Golden sun shown down
The game keeper was told go free
For it was said that there was no crime
That a man was killed and stupidly
Nobody seemed to mind
The world's a tattered and rusty place
Drowning memories of countless men
Guardians guard by earthly fence
But who will guard the guardians?